"I have channeled my feelings of severe hopelessness and depression, I've overcome obstacles, and I have found strength in myself even when it felt out of reach," Kesha wrote in Lenny Letter, the day of "Praying's" release. "I've found what I had thought was an unobtainable place of peace. This song is about coming to feel empathy for someone else, even if they hurt you or scare you. It's a song about learning to be proud of the person you are even during low moments when you feel alone. It's also about hoping everyone, even someone who hurt you, can heal."

"This song is about me finding peace in the fact that I can't control everything — because trying to control everyone was killing me. It's about learning to let go and realize that the universe is in control of my fate, not me," she adds.

And in a video released to Kesha's VEVO channel on Monday August 7, the singer performed her first live performance of "Praying," standing in front of a crowd at YouTube.

"So this is very special," she says to the crowd. "It's very special for us, and I hope it's really special for you guys. I hope you feel that energy," she adds, letting out a breath of air.

The hard-hitting performance evokes an incredible sense of catharsis and raw emotion, causing the audience to erupt in applause throughout the song.

Check it out below:

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